Residents looking for an evening of fun and entertainment to support a good cause are invited to attend the Rotary Club of Jefferson’s 17th annual dinner and charity auction, to be held Friday, Nov. 13, at the Elks lodge in Jefferson.
Tickets are now available for the steak dinner, served by the BPO Does, which also includes complimentary wine. A social hour begins at 5:30 pm, with the meal at 6:30 and the live auction starting at 8. For tickets, contact any member of the Rotary Club. Andy Harland at Don’s Ace Hardware is dinner ticket sales chair.
A variety of items will be auctioned in both “silent” and “live” formats. Auction packages are expected to include family vacation trips, weekend getaways for couples, theater and sporting event tickets, group dinners in unique locations, home decorating packages, home-baked treats, art and craft works, home appliances, golf outings, sports and recreation equipment, locally-raised meat bundles, and much more.
“There’s something for everyone at this auction,” said Mike Palmer, chair of the event. “It’s a fun and entertaining evening, not to mention a wonderful meal to enjoy with friends. What better way to spend an evening to benefit so many in the community and county?
“This event would not be possible without the generous support of countless Greene county businesses and individuals and many supporters from beyond the area. We sincerely thank them for their ongoing support,” said Palmer. “Our members work with the hundreds of donors who provide goods, services and financial support to assemble dozens of auction packages of interest to our bidders.”
Proceeds from the fundraising have touched nearly everyone in the area over the past 16 years. Funds from the event in previous years were used to help construct Jefferson’s Olympic plaza centered with a bronze statue of Olympic gold medal archer Doreen Wilber; erect the pavilion in the Thomas Jefferson Gardens; purchase middle school gym signage, musical instruments and library equipment for Greene County Community Schools; help fund emergency winter meals for the Meals on Wheels program; and provide archery equipment for “Gang Greene.”
Other auction-funded projects have included playground equipment for the Greene County Early Learning Center; a Boy Scout equipment trailer; Rotary Little Lending Libraries; safe after-prom activities for the county’s high schools; and funds for the Kids with a Connection mentoring program, Greene County High School’s Interact service club, the Christian Action Resource Center (food pantry), post-high school scholarships, Habitat for Humanity, Adopt-a-Family, the Greene County Elementary School playground, and many other worthwhile activities.
Raffle tickets for drawings for eight $250 winners are also available from any Rotary member. Each raffle ticket has eight chances to be drawn for the cash prizes. Raffle ticket holders need not be present to win in the cash drawings.
A popular addition to recent auctions, back for another round this year, is the hog raffle, tickets for which will be sold at the auction itself. ~by Rick Morain for the Jefferson Rotary Club
